Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve

Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve
Map of Cape Town
Location	Muizenberg, Western Cape, South Africa
Coordinates	34°04′56″S 18°28′01″E / 34.0822°S 18.4669°E / -34.0822; 18.4669[1]
Area	200 ha (490 acres)

Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve (also spelt "Sandvlei") is a 300-hectare (740-acre) nature reserve and recreational area located in Muizenberg near Cape Town, South Africa.

Background

Entering the ocean in the coastal town of Muizenberg, Zandvlei is the only functioning estuary on Cape Town's False Bay coast, open to the Atlantic Ocean throughout winter and in summer the mouth is manually closed by a sand bar to contain the water, and is opened monthly for a few days at full moon to maintain salinity levels and then closed again. It is also one of the most important estuaries for recruitment of fish such as garrick, steenbras and two species of stumpnose.

The surrounding

The plant life is typical of Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and Cape Wetland vegetation. Rare or interesting plants include Gladiolus angustus and Salvia africana-lutea.^[3]

The estuary was neglected in the past, and suffered from farming, urban development, dredging and the introduction of alien invasive species. The original vegetation has been partly restored through local government and volunteer efforts. There is now an Environmental Education Centre and the reserve is home to the Imperial Yacht Club and Peninsula Canoe Club.

• 
  View of Muizenberg suburbs with Zandvlei estuary in the background
• 
  View over the estuary
• 
  Rafts on Sandvlei during the Kon-Tiki Adventure for Scouts and Guides at Lakeside, Cape Town in 2006

See also

• Biodiversity of Cape Town
• List of nature reserves in Cape Town
• Cape Flats Dune Strandveld
• Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland
• SCOUTS South Africa
• Kon-Tiki (Scouting)

References